The writing’s been on the wall for some time, however it’s lastly been confirmed: Daniel Ricciardo might be leaving McLaren on the finish of the 2022 Components 1 season. However the place will he find yourself in 2023?
Danny Ric shared a candid video on social media earlier this morning, describing his departure as “bittersweet” and confirming that he’ll see out the remainder of the season with the workforce.
Within the carefully-worded clip, the 33-year-old Australian doesn’t rule out racing in F1 subsequent yr, saying “what lies forward, I’m undecided but… The game – I nonetheless find it irresistible, this hasn’t affected any of that. I nonetheless have that fireside in me… This isn’t it for me.”
He additionally doesn’t say it however this all however confirms that fellow Aussie and F2 champ Oscar Piastri might be taking his seat at McLaren – and that McLaren might be paying out Ricciardo upwards of AU$35 million to launch him from his contract.
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Followers and buddies alike have been fast to commiserate and cheer on the eight-time Grand Prix winner – notably his fellow athletes. Danish IndyCar driver Christian Lundgaard commented on Instagram “Massive alternatives forward bud! Go end this factor off on a excessive,” whereas Australian skilled enduro mountain biker Sam Hill mentioned “You’re a legend mate… It’s by no means straightforward with the enterprise aspect of being an athlete.”
Ricciardo’s teammate Lando Norris was particularly magnanimous. “What a trip… From that second in Monza, to the laughs we’ve had out of the automobile, it’s been a pleasure working with you these final two years. No matter’s subsequent I want you all one of the best, let’s have a mega subsequent few months,” the younger Brit Tweeted.
WATCH Daniel Ricciardo’s announcement he’s leaving McLaren under.
Regardless of returning to his race-winning methods in 2021 throughout his first season with McLaren with a spectacular win on the Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo has been pretty comprehensively outperformed by Norris throughout his time on the well-known F1 workforce.
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13 races into the 2022 season and Ricciardo is sitting at twelfth within the championship with 19 factors, whereas Norris is seventh within the championship with 76 factors. McLaren CEO Zak Brown has been surprisingly vocal together with his disappointment with Ricciardo’s efficiency, so it’s not an enormous shock they’re eliminating him.
The actual query is that this: what’s subsequent for ‘The Honey Badger’? The place will Daniel Ricciardo drive in 2023? These are the almost definitely outcomes.
Alpine
In our view, there’s an excellent probability Ricciardo may find yourself at his previous workforce, Alpine (previously Renault). Ricciardo raced for the French workforce for 2 years after leaving Purple Bull and earlier than becoming a member of McLaren – a transfer that left a bitter style in each former Renault F1 workforce managing director Cyril Abiteboul and Renault Group boss Luca de Meo’s mouths.
However Abiteboul’s now not in cost at Alpine (former Racing Level boss Otmar Szafnauer is) and Alpine has an enormous drawback on their fingers because of Fernando Alonso’s defection to Aston Martin and shedding Piastri, their brightest younger star, to McLaren.
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It wouldn’t be probably the most comfy of preparations, Ricciardo returning to Alpine together with his tail between his legs, however it’s arguably one of the best final result for Ricciardo. Alpine has proven important indicators of momentum during the last two years, with Esteban Ocon profitable the Hungarian Grand Prix final yr – the Frenchman’s first ever Grand Prix win and the workforce’s first win as Alpine plus their first since 2008.
If each Danny Ric and Alpine can let bygones be bygones, it might truly work somewhat properly. Certainly, it might give each the motive force and workforce renewed vigour: to be out for revenge in opposition to McLaren.
Haas or Williams
Alternatively, Ricciardo may discover himself at one of many two back-marker groups: Haas or Williams. Alpine’s a extra aggressive workforce, but when Ricciardo’s eager to remain in F1, he’ll need to take no matter he can get.
ESPN experiences that Haas workforce principal Guenther Steiner, who has grow to be a cult hero for his antics on Netflix documentary sequence Drive To Survive, contacted Ricciardo earlier than the mid-season break – a shocking twist.
Danish driver Kevin Magnussen is contracted with Haas on a multi-year deal (after having left the workforce on the finish of 2020) however Mick Schumacher’s present deal expires on the finish of 2022, that means there may very well be area for Ricciardo on the American workforce.
Schumacher, regardless of his solid-gold surname and spectacular junior profession, has had a reasonably lacklustre report in F1 during the last two years. He comprehensively outperformed his teammate Nikita Mazepin throughout his maiden season final yr however has been somewhat proven up by Magnussen this yr.
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There’s additionally more likely to be a spot opening up at Williams alongside fellow Purple Bull castaway Alex Albon, with pay driver Nicholas Latifi all however sure to go away the workforce together with his contract expiring on the finish of 2022 as properly.
The difficulty is that neither Haas nor Williams are seemingly to have the ability to accommodate for Ricciardo’s mind-boggling wage – the Aussie at the moment earns an AU$20.8 million annual wage, whereas Schumacher is paid lower than $2 million, information.com.au explains. So except Danny Ric is prepared to take a considerable pay lower, this won’t work.
Takes a yr off… After which strive Mercedes?
It’s additionally solely attainable that Ricciardo merely sits out F1 in 2023. He wouldn’t be the primary driver to take action – Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen did so final yr, Esteban Ocon did in 2019, and Fernando Alonso has had a number of spells away from the game. A ‘rebuilding yr’ of kinds is likely to be simply what Ricciardo wants, truly.
A really outdoors probability may see Ricciardo be a part of Mercedes in 2024. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s contract with the workforce expires on the finish of 2023 – perhaps, after 16 years within the sport (and seemingly being outperformed by new teammate George Russell), the GOAT may name it quits?
It’s a most unlikely final result, seeing as there are many Mercedes-contracted drivers ready within the wings for Mercedes to select from. Nonetheless, the mix of a veteran #2 driver supporting a proficient younger #1 driver might work for the Silver Arrows – appears to be working fairly properly for Purple Bull with Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen…
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Indycar
Ricciardo, a infamous Americaonphile, may as an alternative ditch F1 solely and head to Indycar, America’s largest open-wheel automobile racing sequence – both quickly or completely.
He wouldn’t be the primary F1 driver lately to make the swap. Former Haas driver Romain Grosjean, who left F1 after a surprising crash on the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, has discovered far more success within the format than he ever did in F1.
Different former F1 drivers at the moment energetic in Indycar embrace Alexander Rossi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Marcus Ericsson and Takuma Sato.
Possibly he might pull an Alonso, spend a little bit of time in Indycar after which make an F1 return? Stranger issues have occurred. Or perhaps even observe Kimi Räikkönen’s lead and do some NASCAR? We’ll simply have to attend and see…
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